Pittsburgh can now spend money collected through park tax to invest in city parks

The city of Pittsburgh is now able to use the money collected through the park tax, after City Council this week approved a measure that allows the money to be put to use in the city’s parks.

The 0.5-mill tax, approved by city voters in 2019, is meant to increase funding for Pittsburgh’s parks.

The city began collecting the tax this year, before finalizing specific plans regarding how city officials could use the trust fund that held that money.

Under legislation approved without discussion, the money will be placed in the Pittsburgh Parks Trust Fund. City Council will have to approve the use of funds each year, paving the way for a public process in allocating the controversial tax dollars.

The cash can be used for things like improvement, maintenance and operation of parks; improvements to park safety; and provisions for equitable funding of parks. The money can also be used as matching funds for grant opportunities.

The legislation passed this week was initially introduced to council in January, then held in committee for months. It was brought back to the table a few weeks ago, and then held again after several council members said they hadn’t been briefed on the measure or had concerns about the bill’s language. City Council unanimously supported the measure in a preliminary vote last week.

By passing the measure, City Council is paving the way for the city to use the tax dollars, which the city previously couldn’t allocate.

Prior to this legislation, City Council had rejected a plan to divide the funds equally among the city’s nine council districts. That proposal failed amid concerns that parks in poorer communities were in greater need than those in more affluent neighborhoods.

Several council members had also voted against collecting the tax at all, citing concerns about an additional financial burden on homeowners and renters amid the pandemic that left many facing new or exacerbated financial hardships.